Small school standouts ready to shine

<p>T.J. HOLMES/RECORD SEARCHLIGHT Trinity High’s Cory Cook takes the handoff during the North practice Wednesday at Shasta College. Cook is one of eight small-school players on the North roster, playing for area pride in Saturday’s 37th annual Lions All-Star Football Game.</p>

Being from a mountain school like Trinity High, he’s making the best of what is available. Long bus rides and dimly lit stadiums made up his Friday nights as a football player.

But when he suits up for the North at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the 37th annual Lions All-Star Football Game at Shasta College, he’ll get a taste of what it’s like to play in the city.

The annual North State “Summer Classic” usually draws about 5,000 spectators – more than the population of Cook’s hometown of Weaverville. This week of practice has consumed Cook as he’s been tasked with learning a new playbook with new terminology with a new coaching staff and new teammates.

“A lot of things are just different,” Cook said. “I’m from a small town, we’ve been coached differently so a lot of (this week) is getting used to everything.”

Cook wasn’t a stranger to success in high school, rushing for 2,928 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career. He’s spent time on defense and punted for the Wolves, and that versatility is what made him attractive for the West Valley coaching staff to select him as an all-star for the North squad, West Valley assistant coach Jim Vert said.

The past two months, Cook’s stayed in shape for the Lions All-Star Game through his job as a tree climber. He treks 100 to 125 feet vertically to cut down trees to prevent them from hanging over power lines, which has impressed Vert, who calls Cook a “stud” and jokes that he’s “crazy.”

“It’s kind of scary but you get used to it,” Cook said. “It’s really tiring. It’s a workout doing it all day.”

For Chapman, playing in the “Summer Classic” has been a goal since before his first practice as a high school player.

“It feels really good to be a part of (the Lions All-Star Game),” Chapman said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a freshman and when I watched my cousin play for the 2010 all-stars.”

Chapman already proved he’s capable of being the fastest man in the section, winning the track and field 100- and 200-meter dashes at the section championships in May. He averaged 114 yards rushing per game in his two years for Mount Shasta and is hoping that translates to success Saturday with a North victory.

“I’m able to show what I have compared to what these big schools had,” Chapman said. “(The big schools) have (Enterprise’s) Izzy Matthews and (West Valley’s) Austin Clark. In Division III, there’s me and maybe one other guy. I feel like I’m just as able as those other guys and I get to show off my skills.”

Both Cook and Chapman admitted nerves could settle in due to the large crowd, something they’re not used to. But as Chapman pointed out, it may be on a bigger stage, but it’s still the same game they’ve been playing for years.

“When kickoff comes I’ll be nervous, but when (North teammate Blake) Burnett or I get the ball, I’ll be perfectly fine,” Chapman said. “(I) just need to get that last nerve out.”

About T.J. Holmes

Sports reporter T.J. Holmes is a national award-winning journalist for the documentary he co-produced called “Enterprise’s Road to State.” He’s spent more than five years covering high school, college, professional and community sports in the North State, is active on social media sites Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and regularly produces content via blogs, stories, a prep notebook column, videos and more.